The Party's Just Begun
by justfunriley
Summary: Joaquin and Dorinda start out with a secret relationship, but it is only beginning. What happens when she finds out she is pregnant right after signing a contract for a Hollywood movie?
1. Chapter 1: All for One?

**Chapter 1: All For One?**

Waking up to the sound of the familiar ringing of her phone, Dorinda Thomas sat upright in the bed and looked at the screen of her phone.

_Chuchie, _Dorinda thought with sarcasm, _Great. Did I miss rehearsal again? When did she become a total control freak? Did it start before or after Galleria left? Of course, she holds the group together, but I didn't ask for a second "mother". _

"Hey Chuchie," the blonde answered, "What's up?"

"Where are you," the response came through the receiver, "You should have been here twenty minutes ago! We're meeting with those big shots over at that record label, remember?"

"Right," Dorinda grumbled, "Okay. I'll be there soon. Just stall. Say I was held up in traffic. You know how the New York traffic is."

"Fine," Chuchie stated with a hiss, "But you need to stop being late. Seriously. You're making us look bad. You've been M.I.A for the past two months, Do. We don't need this right now. We're about to catch our big break!"

"Alright," she snapped, "I'll be there soon. Chill."

Rolling her eyes and hanging up, she hopped up onto her feet. Leaving the sleeping to their bed, she quickly kissed her Spanish boyfriend's cheek. The member of The Cheetah Girls had yet to tell the others that Joaquin and she were back together. Mainly it was because he was here for a short time. Well, in New York. He was here for two more weeks and then he was heading down to Mexico to meet some more of his relatives for a "family meeting." If she was going to be honest with herself and the others, Dorinda didn't want him to leave since he had been there for two months. It meant that she would never see him again and yet she felt whole with him around. Giving a sorrowful look, she quickly jumped in the shower.

Once washing her face, hair, and body, Dorinda jumped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. A small knock came from outside the bathroom. Opening the door, she saw Joaquin standing there with a smile on his face. Letting him in, the two said their "good mornings" and continued their familiar morning routine. With a small kiss, the blonde dynamo ran out the door towards the meeting of a lifetime. Little did she know that her life was going to change for the better and the worse.

Reaching the office, Dorinda found herself disheveled and gasping for breath. Holding onto a wall, she was bend over with her gaze looking towards the ground. Giving herself a few moments, the New Yorker cleaned herself up once she caught her breath and headed towards the elevator in the middle of the lobby. Pushing the up button, she waited for the elevator to get there. Thinking of the excuse that she would use, Dorinda climbed into the elevator once it reached the lobby. Proceeding to press the button for the eleventh floor, the blonde combed her fingers through her hair. She knew that she couldn't mess this up or she would never hear the end of it. This was their big chance, like Chuchie had told her on the phone.

_Just take a deep breath, _Dorinda thought, _There is no reason to panic. Just be calm. They're probably already waiting for our signatures. I mean, that's what happened with Jackal Johnson and his label company. Right? I mean...we would have had to change everything about ourselves, which Galleria turned her back on. I think that we dodged a bullet with that one. Wait...pull yourself back Dorinda. I'm going to be fine._

Opening the door to the meeting, the big shots welcomed her to the meeting and were very polite.

"So," the brunette man stated, "This is your final member? Dorinda, if I am not mistaken."

"You are not, mister," Dorinda said, ending with a question.

"Richard Seth," he said, extending his hand forward, "and this is my partner Andrew O'Brian."

"Nice to meet you both," she responded as she shook both of their hands, "I'm sorry that I was late. Traffic. Anyways, I am here now. So, let's get down to business."

The three of them sat down, Dorinda sitting next to Aqua. The African-American (using the more formal here) Texan looked over with a concerned look. The blonde shrugged and went back to listening, for the most part. Part of her yearned to be in her bed with Joaquin, but the other, rational part of her told her to stay put. The meeting felt like it was dragging on, but soon enough paperwork was placed in front of them. Signing the new contracts, the girls shook hands and would be heading to Hollywood in a week. This was something that she was so excited to tell Joaquin about. He was going to be so happy for her. Rushing out the door after the meeting, she waved good-bye to her two friends and found herself at her apartment. Swinging the door open, she ran inside to find Joaquin freshly showered and sitting by the window in nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Hey New York," Joaquin said in his thick Spanish accent, "How was your meeting?"

"Fine," she responded as she shut the door behind her, "Just signed a two-year contract with the label and am heading to Hollywood to shoot a musical!"

"That's great," he exclaimed, obviously very happy for Dorinda, "When do you leave?"

"In a week," she said, full of sorrow, "I wanted to spend the full two weeks with you, but I know that this is our chance and the girls would have been furious with me if I had tried to delay anything. They want to get our dream rolling."

"How about I come with you," he chirped, "Come on. I can always fly from California to Mexico. It is cheaper that way anyways. Plus, it gives us those two full weeks you want. How about it New York?"

"Alright," she mused, "But we need to think of a reason why you are there. I mean, I still haven't told the girls about us being back together. I told them I was done with you for good. That we would just be friends."

"Calm down," Joaquin laughed, "It is fine Dorinda. I'll just say that I'm here as a friend supporting you while I wait for my flight down to California. Say I had a layover anyways and that I was heading over when I bumped into you the night before, or something."

"That works," she agreed, "It is good enough for me. Anyways, maybe you should get dressed. You know? You are standing in your towel after all."

"It isn't like you haven't seen it before," he whispered to her.

"I know," Dorinda responded, "But what if someone sees you? Last time it was dark. Not 3 in the afternoon."

"Alright New York," Joaquin joked, "I'll put some clothes on. I'll be right back."

"Alright Barcelona," she jested, "Now, I'm gonna make a quick snack. Want something?"

"I'm fine," he said while getting dressed, "I've got to head uptown to get some things for the family. They wanted souvenirs from New York. I told them that I had a layover in New York."

"For two months," she asked in a joking manner.

"I told them for a day," the Spaniard replied, "But, that'll be our little secret."

"You might have to convince me to keep it," Dorinda teased.

"I might have something that'll convince you."

He came over to her and kissed her on the lips with a fiery passion. Smiling as he pulled away, he asked her if it was good enough to convince her to keep his little secret. Merely kissing him in response, Dorinda gave him his answer. A simple, but passionate answer. The two came to a silent understanding as they stood there in the New Yorker's living room. The blonde dynamo laughed softly as he held her close to him. All of it seemed right for just a moment. As she perceived it as perfect, all changed. A knock came from the door, which never happened unless the girls were coming over. The dancers stopped and looked at the door. Standing there in silence, the pair tried to keep them from trying to come in. They didn't know that Joaquin was there nor did Dorinda wanted them to be there to find out.

"Dorinda," Chanel called out, "The doorman said you were home. We know you are in there."

"Sh*t," Do whispered, looking for a way out, "Fire escape. Go. I'll deal with them and call you back when it is okay."

"Love you," he said as he gave her one last kiss and charged for the fire escape.

Opening the door, Dorinda smiled at her two friends. Chuchie and Aqua were, at this point, glaring at her. The blonde shrunk a little and welcomed them into her apartment. Hopefully, there wasn't a sign of another person being here. She knew that he put his stuff in the drawers, but Dorinda knew her friends. If anything was out of place, they would smell a rat. The two biracial females walked into the apartment and looked around for a moment. Dorinda noticed in Aqua's eyes that she had landed on the fire escape.

"Why is that open," Aquanette said with her Southern drawl.

"It was a bit hot in here," the Caucasian answered quickly, "Sorry. I try to get as much air in here as I can. I can shut it if you guys don't like it."

"I'm fine," Chanel snapped, "How about you Aqua?"

"Fine."

At that moment, Dorinda felt like the two of them were vultures circling their next meal. Thinking on her feet, the blonde went into the kitchen and grabbed some of the washed fruit that she had been planning on making her salad with. Setting it down on the table, the hostess tried to alleviate the tension that was building between the three. This had been like the situation between the three of them before, but it was due to Galleria and had been in the school building.

"Listen," Dorinda said, "I'm sorry I was late. Everything is fine. I slept through my alarm. That's all."

"What about the past two months," Aqua chided.

"I'm sorry about that too," Do responded, "I truly am. I've just been busy at my job. You know how it is. I've got to pull money for food, rent, bills, and enough left for some leisure stuff. I can't exactly slack off. I'm fortunate enough to at least have something. Mrs. Bosco didn't want me living there because they had a group of younger, adoptable kids coming in. She wanted fresh faces to keep them in business. I'm 17, almost 18. People my age aren't adoptable. So, I've got to get stuff on my own now. You know that. I told you as soon as we got back from Spain."

"Yeah," Chanel confessed, "We know, but still. You're a Cheetah too. You need to be in this with us. We need you, Do."

At that moment, her stomach started to do flips. The feeling washed over her and her face grew pale. Rushing to the bathroom, the blonde dynamo felt the metallic taste rising in her mouth. She reached the toilet just in time as she expelled the small traces of food still left in her stomach. It had to be now of all moments. Dorinda wiped the traces from her mouth and got up from the floor. Groaning in discomfort, the Cheetah Girl flushed the toilet and went over to the sink. Washing her hands, she decided to splash her face with a bit of water. A small knock came from the door.

"Do Re Mi," the Hispanic called through the door, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Dorinda responded, "Something didn't agree with me. I'll be okay. Just give me a few minutes."

The blonde felt the metallic taste still lingering in her mouth. Grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste, she scrubbed all the taste and bacteria out. Finishing, she rinsed her face one more time before deciding that she was ready to speak with her friends again. The question that was racing through her mind at that moment was why did she get sick all of a sudden. She hadn't eaten anything, not even a piece of fruit. What was wrong with her? The thought dawned upon her.

_ No. It can't be, _the blonde thought to herself as she looked in the mirror, _No. No. No. It just can't. I mean...possibly. Yesterday my boobs were tender, but I should be close to my period. The throwing up is just today. I've been nauseated, but that's been only for a few weeks. I really can't deal with something like this. We're going to Hollywood to shoot a movie and record a few songs. That's our dream. Not this. This is not my dream._

"Still okay Do?"

This time it was Aqua calling to her through the door. Dorinda gave her the same response as she did with Chanel. The young girl knew that her stash, in case, was in the medicine cabinet. Opening the door, she grabbed the first test. Tearing the packaging apart, she pulled out the test. She repeated the same with three different brands. This was the moment when her life would begin to change. Using the tests as directed, Dorinda felt her nerves beginning to get to her. The time passed and three minutes were up. The tests came up with a little plus sign. The cursed pink plus sign. The blonde Cheetah Girl felt like crying at that moment. However, she knew that the two girls were waiting for her to scold her. This time it would be different. It would be about the pregnancy that was now in control of her life.

Deciding it was time to come out of the bathroom, the young dancer faced her friends and felt her face flush. The tests were still in the restroom and were on display. Chanel and Aqua looked at each other before looking back at Dorinda. The blonde tried to gain her courage. This was the moment she would tell them the truth all of it.

"Guys," she said, "I need to tell you both something."

**Author's Note: **

**This isn't really edited and is more for fun anyways. This is my first human fanfiction piece. So, I'll just say this...I'm better with de ponies. I promise that I'll try to keep going with this. Chapter Two is on its way...well...I just started writing it this morning. **

**All characters belong to Disney and Deborah Gregory. **


	2. Chapter 2: Fuego

**Chapter 2: Fuego**

_"Guys. I need to tell you both something."_

Dorinda wanted to continue to tell them what was wrong, but something was keeping her from speaking the full truth. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to just hide. However, she knew what this pregnancy would do to the group if she didn't tell them the whole truth. It was now or never. She had already taken the plunge and caught their attention. It was the moment.

"I've not been honest with you guys," the blonde said, trying to hold back tears, "For the past two months, I've not been busy with my job. In fact, I've had plenty of free time. It is just that...Joaquin has been here and I-"

"Joaquin is here," both of the girls cut Dorinda off.

"Yes," Dorinda said, "We've been spending a lot of time together. I wanted to tell you guys, but I knew how it would look. Plus, we had the whole entire scout issues and I just couldn't find the right time to tell you."

"Why is now the right time," the Hispanic Cheetah Girl responded.

"Because," Dorinda whimpered, "I'm...I'm pregnant."

"What," Chanel and Aqua shouted in unison.

"You're pregnant," Aqua asked with a hostile tone.

"Yeah," Do responded, quietly.

At this moment, she felt more helpless than she had just a moment ago. Looking at her friends' faces kept bring her mood down from that first feeling of helplessness. The dynamo watched as their faces turned from anger to worry in a matter of minutes. Do went and sat down on her chair across from the two other Cheetahs. A pregnant silence loomed over the girls as they sat there. It seemed like a good hour before anyone did anything. After the minutes of silence, Chanel got up and went over to Dorinda. Feeling the arms around her, the blonde felt all of her emotions explode. The tears rolled down her face as she pulled Chanel's arms closer to her. At that moment, Dorinda's world seemed to be crashing down upon her. What was she going to do? Adopting the kid out would be the last thing on her mind. To be honest, she knew the foster care life and believed that adoption would be no better. There were all those adoption scams in place, which would only bring pain to the kid later on in life. Then there was abortion. That was another thing she could never do. It would be too painful, living with the guilt of killing an innocent person. She couldn't do that either. The only other option, in her mind, was keeping it. However, keeping it would mean the end of The Cheetah Girls and the beginning of something much more difficult. Motherhood.

"What am I going to do," she whispered, sobbing.

"I don't know girl," Chanel said, trying to sooth Dorinda, "But I can tell you that we're all in this together. We're all together in this jiggy jungle, girl. I'll never let one of my Amigas Cheetahs down. I promise. Best friends forever?"

"Forever," both Dorinda and Aqua replied in unison.

"That doesn't mean that we aren't angry with you," Aqua sternly stated her viewpoint, "Come on Do. You know better. I mean come on. Getting in bed with a guy that ain't worth your time isn't right. Y'all needed to learn that the hard way, right? Do. We can't just find a replacement for you. You're our friend, our choreographer, and you're a Cheetah. I say this in all respect, but girl. This isn't the time to get yourself knocked up. We've got a movie in a week. The rehearsals last for 16 days and then we film for a month. How far along do you think you are?"

"I don't know," she replied, trying to catch her breath, "I really don't. Maybe 8 weeks tops."

"Beautiful," Aqua replied with sarcasm.

"What Aqua means," Chanel stopped the Southern Bell from making Do feel worse, "is that we need to figure that out. A month usually has 4 and a half weeks to it, if that. So, we've got 4 and a half plus 2 and a half plus one, which equals 8 weeks. So, you would start to show during filming, which would just blow everything up. Don't worry though. We'll figure something out. Right, Aqua?"

"Totally," the Texan responded, "We'll figure it out girl."

_I can only hope so, _Dorinda thought, _This is such bad timing. I just want to take a break from this, but we've come so far. We can't let this take over. I can't let the baby die either. I can't take its life. It is a part of my DNA and Joaquin's. It wouldn't be right. I love him and...I can't stand to admit it...I am starting to care for the baby. As Mrs. Bosco said, "A mother becomes a mother when she finds out that she is pregnant."_

"I can only hope that we can come up with something. It won't be easy," the dynamo responded, "I mean this is another life plus my life. We can't just...you know...terminate it. It wouldn't be right. I couldn't deal with the guilt."

"Yeah," Aqua said, less hostile than before, "I wouldn't feel right telling you to and even feel guilty. And you know me...I rarely feel guilty, unless I've forgotten to do something important or have done something super wrong to you guys."

"We know," Chanel giggled at Aqua's comment, "I mean, this is Aquanetta Walker we are talking about. She can eat three meals and still be hungry."

"Speaking of hungry," Aqua trying to stay on the topic of food, "Have you had weird cravings Do?"

"Yeah," Chanel interjected, "I remember when my mom was pregnant with Pucci, she would get all these weird cravings. Even before she knew she was having him, she had them. It was weird. Plus, those mood swings. So much fun..."

"Fun wouldn't be the word I would use," the Southern Bell said, "I mean come on. When my aunt in Texas was pregnant, that was a nightmare. Don't even ask."

"I eat fruit all the time now," Dorinda responded, "Not to mention, pasta makes me a little sick. And you know how much I love pasta. I mean, I think that's unusual. I'm not sure what would qualify as cravings."

"Those might be cravings," Chanel replied, "but...we're not certified obstetrics. So, I think you should go see a doctor. That's just me. They can tell you what you need to do and how to deal with the baby, like all the health stuff you need."

"I know," the blonde responded calmly, "But I don't have insurance."

"Planned Parenthood," Chanel said, "They are right around the corner. Come on Do. Just call and set up an appointment."

"You are forgetting two things," Do said calmly, "One, I don't have health insurance. Two, I don't have the money to pay for the visit."

"They can help you with that Do," Chanel responded, "At least, that's what my mother said my aunt did when she was pregnant with my cousin. Heck, my dad's girlfriend was recently pregnant with my dad's kid and she had to go to Planned Parenthood because they have no money and no insurance. She said it was free for her."

"Okay. Okay," she snapped in retort to Chanel's point, "I'll call. Set all of this up. We just can't tell Joaquin until I know for sure that I am. It'll just be awkward. His family doesn't know that he is in the states."

"Really," Aqua interjected, "They don't know that he is in the states? How do they not know? How does Luc not know? Doesn't he keep tabs on Joaquin?"

"No," Chanel and Dorinda stated in unison.

"Luc is too busy looking after Pucci and my mom to really keep tabs on Joaquin," the Hispanic Cheetah Girl vocalized, "Pucci is in a lot of trouble at school right now. So, Luc is trying to be the good stepfather and get my brother back on the right track."

"Oh," Aqua noted, "Got it. Okay. So, Joaquin is here alone. Has he been staying with you the whole time he's been here."

"Pretty much," Dorinda asserted, "He is staying here because I felt bad and we are friends. Well, we were friends. Now, we're...I have no idea what to call what we are. We're kinda dating, but kinda not. If that makes any sense."

"Friends with Benefits," the African American said, "That's what it is called. In my opinion at least."

"Enough of that," Chanel said, handing Dorinda her own phone, "I think it is time you call. Just to set up the test and perhaps an ultrasound too."

"Fine," Do answered, "Let's do this."

Dialing the number, the other line rang for two rings and then someone picked up. They stated their name, the company, and a bunch of other things that Dorinda wasn't able to understand at that moment. After the lady finished her spiel, Dorinda responded and set up her appointment. It was in two hours, thankfully. She would only go in for the testing for now, but the following time, she would be scheduled for an ultrasound. The three girls got up and went off towards West 33rd Street's Planned Parenthood. It would take them about an hour to get there given the location and how far away it was from where Dorinda was living. Finally reaching their destination after an hour and ten minutes, The Cheetah Girls all went up to the front desk.

"Dorinda Thomas," Dorinda said, "I'm here for my appointment."

"Alright," the receptionist said, "Fill out this paperwork and bring it back when you are done. Then the doctor will be with you shortly."

"Thanks," Do responded as she took the clipboard from the receptionist.

The three found three chairs next to each other and sat down together. Dorinda's stomach was turning and she knew it was her nerves. Nothing seemed okay at that moment. Sitting there in Planned Parenthood with her friends was unusual, which wasn't okay. Filling out the rest of the paperwork, she walked back and handed the receptionist the paperwork. It was passed on and given to a nurse, who led Dorinda back to a small room. Sitting on exam table, the blonde haired nurse took her pulse, blood pressure, and a few tubes of blood. Dismissing herself, the nurse left and Dorinda was alone. Changing quickly, Dorinda went back to sitting down within three minutes after the nurse left. She noticed the ultrasound machine next to her and tried to take her mind off the fact that her bladder was partially full. The nurse had told her to keep it partially full in order for them to get a better image of everything.

"Dorinda Thomas," the doctor said, as she knocked on the door.

"Hello," Do responded, as calmly as she could.

"Ah," Dr. Rogers spoke, "Don't be nervous. My name is Dr. Tiffany Rogers. the exam is relatively painless. Cold, but painless. A little pressure, but don't worry. It'll be done quickly. So, shall we?"

"Right," the blonde replied, "Let's do this."

"Put your feet in the stirrups while scooting down towards me," Dr. Rogers instructed, "Once you're close enough, I'll need you to lie down. I'll move the monitor towards you so you can see and won't strain your neck."

Once close enough, Dorinda lay back and watched the monitor as the doctor performed the ultrasound. Finally, with a little time, the blonde Cheetah Girl saw a little blob that resembled something similar to peanut shape. Holding back tears, she watched as it moved slightly as the doctor took stills of it. She couldn't believe that was a baby. Her baby.

"It looks like you're six weeks along, Ms. Thomas," Dr. Rogers finally said after a few minutes of silence, "From what I see, your baby is 100% healthy. We're going to run some test on the bloodwork that we took and help you out as best we can. Here's a prescription for a prenatal vitamin. It should help. Feel free to call anytime you need help. I suggest you find a obsetrics specialist. Oh and your due date is Christmas Eve. Congrats. You can pick up stills on your way out if you want them."

"Thank you."

Walking out to where her friends were waiting, she grabbed the ultrasound stills and smiled at the little peanut looking life that she and Joaquin had created.

"Guys," Dorinda said, breaking the silence, "I'm going to keep the baby. My baby."

**Author's Notes: Thank you to all the wonderful reviews I have gotten over the past month. It is amazing! Thanks.**

**A little note about the pasta, Italian is one of Sabrina's favorite foods according to an interview. So, I decided to use that due to the fact that the movies never really had them eating. Well, except for a few times, which doesn't really give you much to go on.**

**If anyone gets the doctor's name and its reference, I will follow you on fanfiction.**

**As a last note, I'm so sorry. This one has a lot going on. It is for the plot. It moves fast, but next chapter will be a conversation with Joaquin and Dorinda alone. The girls will not be in the next chapter, except for a part in the beginning. Not spoiling it for you guys. :-) **

**All characters and locations belong to Disney, Planned Parenthood, and Deborah Gregory.**


	3. Chapter 3: Cherish the Moment

**Chapter 3: Cherish the Moment**

_"Guys. I'm going to keep the baby. My baby."_

"Really Do," Chanel and Aqua replied, once again in unison, shocked that their friend was going to keep the baby.

"Really," was all Dorinda said in reply to her friends.

Seeing the baby on the screen had changed her perspective quickly. It just was the one thing in her life that had become so real. It had melted her heart at the sight of it. A drastic change, but it was real. She knew that it would be extremely hard, but this baby was worth it. The Cheetah had saved some money from previous gigs and had part of the money from the contract that was protected thanks to her signature. Still, she wanted to secure a future for the baby.

"How long do you think the filming will take," Do asked seriously.

"I'm not sure chica," the Hispanic Cheetah responded, "A while. We have to record the songs that they have for us, which will take 2 to 3 months. You'll be at 14 to 18 weeks, give or take a few days. You'll be showing by then. I mean come on chica. Maybe they'll let us put this on pause until you have the baby. There are just a number of things that could go wrong. Two weeks for rehearsals and then two months filming. By that time, you'd be 16 to 20 weeks at rehearsals and then 24 to 28 weeks. You'll be more than halfway through your pregnancy by the time we finish filming. We couldn't really shoot unless you hadn't started to show, but my money is on you showing."

"Do you think that they would put this on hold," Dorinda wondered, "I mean seriously. We just got this contract."

"Let's just call Richard and Andrew," Aqua said with insight, "They can tell us if they would or not."

"The smart one always comes up with the ideas," Chuchie said, "Lemme call them right now."

The girls stood in one place as the phone rang. After three rings, Richard picked up. Chuchie and Richard had a pleasant conversation before she dropped the "hypothetical" bomb on him.

"What would happen if one of us was pregnant," she blurted, "I mean hypothetically."

"Um," Richard said, "Well, the contract never said anything about that. I guess it would be listed under medical condition and would put everything on hold until the situation sorted itself out. However, we do not offer maternity leave. So, as soon as the medical condition ended, you would be working immediately. No time to really take care of a baby. This is only hypothetical right?"

"Unfortunately," Dorinda said, taking the phone from Chanel, "No. I'm pregnant. It was a mistake. I'm only about six weeks along. But I'm going to keep it. I want to keep it. I know that sounds a bit stupid at the moment, but I want to keep the baby. My baby."

"Hm," Richard responded, "Alright. Put me on speakerphone. I'm going to come up with a plan."

"Alright," Dorinda stated as she put him on speakerphone, "There. You're on speaker."

"So. Here's the deal," he said, "We'll record the songs and then wait for Dorinda's pregnancy to end. We won't tell the company itself. We'll tell them that a medical situation occurred, which isn't completely a lie...but we're holding back some of the truth. Once she has the baby, we'll let them know that the medical issue has resolved itself and we'll get the party started. You know, the party's just begun for all of you. Being famous is hard and Dorinda bringing a baby into it might cause some mayhem. However, it is her choice. You can keep it, adopt it out, abort it...it is your choice. I cannot make that choice for you."

"Sounds good," the blonde responded, "Thanks Richard."

"Take care of yourself Dorinda," Richard vocalized, "Goodbye girls."

"Bye," the three said in unison as they hung up the phone.

All the rest of the way, the girls were silent. They had nothing really to say to each other. Dorinda was secretly processing what Richard had said. It seemed rather sneaky to go about doing his plan, but still...they got the pay for what was going to happen. It would still happen. Just a bit later. Of course, it would be weird to have a kid around once all of this was done. It would be weird, but that is because she didn't have the full mindset of the mother. Her mind was racing as their reached her apartment. The smell of Joaquin's bodywash filled the air around her. She had not realized how strong it was until now. Dorinda was surprised that her friends hadn't said anything when they came in the door. Perhaps they didn't know that it was his oh-so-familiar scent. He had always used that bodywash. It was intoxicating to Dorinda, even before they were an item. Opening the door, she noticed him standing there. She saw the worried look on his face and ran over to him. Hugging him, Dorinda felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. What was she going to say to him? Joaquin grabbed her and held her closer, which felt amazing. Chuchie and Aqua both said goodbye and left the two of them alone. This was the time to tell him. This was going to be hard. His family wouldn't be too happy with the fact that he had gotten her pregnant. He would try to marry her and Dorinda wasn't ready to get married.

"Joaquin," she said, finally breaking out of the hug, "We need to talk."

"Okay," Joaquin responded hesitantly, "What is wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," whispered Dorinda, "I'm pregnant with our baby."

"What," Joaquin asked, unable to hear what she had just said.

"I'm pregnant with our baby," she stated, barely above a whisper, but able to be heard by Joaquin.

"We're having a baby," questioned Joaquin, unable to wrap his mind around what she had just told him.

"Yes," Dorinda responded with hesitation.

She didn't want him to just jump up and leave, but she couldn't lie to him. Dorinda knew that she had hurt him once before and it wasn't fair. However, she had heard the stories of fathers just leaving the mothers to raise the child by themselves. Of course, she wanted to believe that he wasn't the same. Yet, something still didn't have faith in that thought of him staying. It just seemed unrealistic to her.

"How far along are you," he asked.

"Around six weeks," Dorinda said, holding back the tears.

"New York," the Spaniard said with a calm, loving tone, "Don't cry. I'm here for you. I won't leave you or the baby. This is our responsibility. Not just yours. We created it together. We'll take care of it together."

_**Flashback**_

_Dorinda was standing in her kitchen, unaware that Joaquin was in New York at that moment. She was getting ready to order some of her favorite food from the Italian place on W 19th Street, which she would go and pick up herself since she lived on W 23rd Street. Picking up the phone, she was getting ready to dial when a knock came from her door. Cleaning herself up a bit, she walked over to the door. Opening it, she came across the familiar dimpled smile that she had fallen in love with during her trip to Spain. Of course, the two had been friends after breaking up. Moving aside, she welcomed him into her small apartment. Since the last adventure in India, the girls had been receiving some calls. Usually not as good as they hoped for, but he had been there to pick her up when she felt down. Joaquin moved past the blonde and continued to smile. It seemed like hours before they began to speak to one another. The dark haired Spanish man spoke first. He had told her about his adventure here and the reason he had come early. Joaquin had missed her. It had seemed like forever since the two had seen each other and this was the opportunity to see her. Dorinda listened intently and then told him about some of the adventures she had while he was away. Being in Bollywood with the girls and wondering what the world was going to throw at her seemed so long ago. The two wrapped up their stories and soon enough the silence loomed over them once again. Dorinda could feel the tension in the air as much as Joaquin could. They were at an impasse, but not because of an argument. This was a different tension building. Finally, Joaquin kissed her on the lips. The passion was intoxicating to Dorinda. Her metaphorical walls were falling and she was at his mercy. The two let the passion take them where it should. He grabbed her and carried off towards her bedroom. The night continued as the two continued their passion and eventually went to sleep._

_**Flashback Ends.**_

That was the night when everything had changed, when she had signed off on her future. That was the night when the baby had been created. Joaquin was still holding her as she returned from the memory of the night. His words were lingering in her mind. They had created this life together and they would help care for it together.

"I want to keep the baby Joaquin," she simply stated.

"Then let's keep it," Joaquin vocalized, "I mean, why can't we? I've got money from helping Luc with the studio and everything. You've got the money from the company, which helps. So, I think we can make it work. Of course, we can't have the baby living here. Luc gave me the rights of the villa in Spain-."

"Woah," Dorinda cut him off, "I am not moving to Spain. After I have the baby, I am staying here. My career is still in place. I can't just leave New York. I'm not going to be some lazy housewife. I've known that since I was a little girl."

"Okay," he caved quickly, "So, no villa. How about we try to get a loan for a house? Where is your career going to be?"

"Hollywood," the blonde Cheetah Girl said calmly.

"Real Estate there is tight," Joaquin mentioned, "But I think we can manage. I'll talk with Luc about this."

"I think we should both talk to Luc considering it affects everyone in our lives," Dorinda retorted, "Then we should talk with Mrs. Bosco. She'll be able to help since she's like a mother to me."

"Fair enough," the Spaniard replied, "So, let's go."

"It is a little late in the evening," Dorinda said as she motioned to the darkening skies, "It is almost 7. We'll call him tonight and ask to come over tomorrow. Tell him that you've been here for 2 months and that you need to talk about something. Just leave it simple. Chanel will probably tell him that you are here, considering she is a little upset at me. Well, upset at both of us."

"When did she become an A-type," Joaquin joked.

"Once Galleria left," Dorinda laughed, "Unfortunately. I thought that Bubbles was bad. Chuchie makes it seem like Galleria was a kitten when she was the A-type. For Chanel, everything has to be 100% perfect. She can become ferocious and scary when things don't go her way. Today, however, was not that day. Chuchie actually seemed less scary than the last few weeks."

"Really," he responded, being serious.

"Yeah," replied Dorinda, "She wasn't too bad when she found out. Freaked out a little bit, but it wasn't as bad as a meltdown she had earlier in the week. It wasn't too bad if you ask me. I think that she has calmed down a bit. Maybe her mom and Luc talked with her about her A-type personality change. It seemed like she was bipolar."

"Wow," was all that Joaquin had to say to Dorinda's comment at that point.

"Yup. It was bad," she said, ending the conversation for the most part.

Finally coming up with another conversation starter, Dorinda pulled out the ultrasound still and showed him. Pointing out the baby, he smiled. Dorinda watched as he pulled the picture from her hand and look at it closer. He put his hand on Dorinda's stomach and kissed her.

"That is our baby," he said, "Right there. Ours."

**Author's Notes: I made a mistake in the first chapter. I had Dorinda say "when we got back from Spain." It should be "when we got back from India." I'm terribly sorry. I wasn't sure when this would all take place, but I decided to keep it a little closer to the plotline of The Cheetah Girls movies. That means that they went to India after all. **

**I guess people didn't get the reference. Tiffany, in the books, is Dorinda's sister. Rogers, in the book, is Dorinda and Tiffany's last name from my knowledge. So, I felt like throwing that in there. I won't be using that as a part of this, but I felt like sharing that knowledge.**

**This chapter was interesting to write to say the least. I don't really like writing porngraphic scenes. So, I didn't really describe except a small flashback. **

**Thanks again for the awesome reviews! I would love to hear from you all more. **


	4. Chapter 4: No Place Like Us (Part 1)

**Chapter 4: No Place Like Us (Part 1)**

"_That is our baby," he said, "Right there. Ours."_

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Dorinda replied, half worried and half cheerfully.

At that moment, Dorinda was a bit conflicted. Normally guys weren't so ready to face parenthood, but Joaquin was different. He was willing to face it, from what Dorinda could tell. It seemed almost surreal. However, she knew this wasn't a dream. It was more like a nightmare, mixed with a dream. She wouldn't have been this young, dealing with graduation from high school and a baby at the same time, and she would have had a solid career with The Cheetah Girls. Not to mention that it would have been a foster child. Dorinda always said that she was going to adopt for her first child, but fate didn't want it to be that way.

Putting her hand on top of Joaquin's, she smiled ever so slightly. Although she was debating her own feelings, Dorinda was happy to have Joaquin's support with this pregnancy. It was half Tobar. Another little Count or, maybe, a Countess of Tobar. It felt empowering to know that she was going to have a child that would continue a legacy. His legacy. The mindset of Dorinda was that she would raise this child with him, but not in Spain. Her baby would be born in the States and would be a United States citizen. However, if their baby ever wanted to claim their birthright, Dorinda would not stop them. What kind of mother would she be to stop something like that?

"So," Joaquin interrupted Dorinda's thoughts, "Should I call Luc and tell him that we'll be stopping by tomorrow?"

"Of course, but not now. It's late remember," the New Yorker responded, "I'll call Mrs. Bosco and tell her that we'll be there too. It'll be easier if we rip it off like a bandaid. Quickly. I don't think this is a conversation we can have over the phone. You know?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Right. It isn't something we should discuss over the phone. It would be rude and awkward. I think. I've never done this before."

"You think I have," Dorinda snapped.

"No," Joaquin said quickly, "I didn't mean it like that. I just said that because...I'm nervous about all of this. It is all so new. To both of us. I can't say that I've experienced anything like it."

"Neither have I," the blonde retorted, hostility lining every word.

Dorinda watched as Joaquin fell silent. She knew that she had been a bit rude, but at this point, she really didn't think twice about it. It seemed justified in her mind. The anger at that moment seemed right. Building up all the sorrow she could muster at the moment, she apologized for her actions and asked for forgiveness, which she received. To be honest, she didn't feel regret for snapping at him at the time being. Later she would, which she was fully aware of. However, she just continued to settle in her anger. Getting up from sitting down, Dorinda walked into the kitchen and decided to prepare leftovers from last nights Mexican fix. The pair remained in silence for the rest of the night. Dorinda just needed some time to reflect and calm herself down. Joaquin knew Dorinda well enough not to interrupt that time. Changing into her pajamas, Dorinda looked over to her Spanish friend. He had just grabbed a blanket and a pillow, heading over towards the couch. Getting in bed, Dorinda fell asleep quickly. At that moment, she was just too tired. Everything that day had just exhausted her. From finding out that she was pregnant and that Joaquin was there to support her, it just seemed like a lot. A lot of worrying on her part. Maybe morning would bring something better.

Waking up, Dorinda stretched a little before she felt that disgusting feeling in her stomach with the accompanying metallic taste in her mouth. Running into the bathroom, she had just made it in time. This is the one thing of pregnancy that she would hate. It bothered her that vomiting would be a ritual. Groaning, she got up and rinsed out her mouth with Listerine.

"Maybe food will help me feel better," the blonde dynamo mumbled, still groggy thanks to tossing and turning in her sleep all night.

"Morning," Joaquin greeted her as she walked into the kitchen.

"Morning," she replied, grumbling.

"So," the Spaniard said, "I've got bacon, toast, and eggs with cheese. I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of cooking. We need to get a good start to our day. All of us."

"Alright," Dorinda responded, "I'm going to take a shower while you finish cooking. I've got to look my best for all of this. Don't worry. I'll be cheery and chipper when I wake up fully."

"Don't worry," Joaquin said, "I know you aren't a morning person. I mean that in the nicest way possible. Go get ready and I'll have breakfast ready for you."

"Thanks," Dorinda said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Getting in the shower, she felt the hot water running over her. It felt relaxing and invigorating, which she loved about her mornings. The ritual of soap, shampoo, and conditioner felt amazing and removed all the anger that she had left. The heat had a way of soothing those feelings. Once it was all removed, the blonde Cheetah Girl hopped out of the shower and quickly went through her morning routine. After around 20 minutes, she came from the bedroom, with a cute outfit on, and sat down to enjoy breakfast. Once both of their morning routines finished, Dorinda and Joaquin walked out the door and made their calls. Joaquin called Luc and set it up first, which made the hard part of their day first. Heading towards the metro, the two walked hand in hand. Dorinda looked over to Joaquin, who was admiring her at the moment.

"What," she asked.

"You look amazing," he replied, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she responded, blushing a bit.

The two boarded into the metro with the rest of the crowd. The smells of the metro were ten times stronger and made her sick to her stomach. Clenching her stomach, she wanted to run out of there as soon as possible. However, she turned and put her head in Joaquin's chest. The scent of him was soothing to her and made her feel normal once again. She had never realized how bad the pregnancy was until now. Maybe knowing made it worse.

"What's wrong," the Spaniard whispered to her.

"I can't deal with the smell," Dorinda whispered in response.

It seemed like hours that the two were down there with the unwanted smells before they reached the Broadway District, just two blocks shy of being at Juanita's and Luc's apartment. The last few blocks before they reached the apartment was like death itself. She was nervous, which was met by a ringing in her ears and a silence that fell on the couple. They didn't know what to say or how to ease their nerves. They were walking into a house and preparing themselves to tell Joaquin's godfather and guardian that Dorinda was pregnant. Plus, Joaquin hadn't really told Luc that he was in New York, which made it seem ten times worse than it was.

_What if this goes downhill, _Dorinda thought, _what if Luc and Juanita are not supportive of us. I mean, I want them to be supportive of what we are doing. I just want people to understand it was a mistake and this baby is going to change our lives, which we are fully aware of. I still can't bring myself to end it. It just wouldn't be right. I don't want the kid to be adopted by some couple I don't know. Not to mention that the kid could end up in foster care, which is a million times worse than anything. I just want to be there for the baby and all that lies ahead with motherhood. I am willing to give anything to have this be right. Well, except a decent career. Okay Dorinda. You're getting off track. Focus. Supportive. So, how do I go about getting their support. What do I say? 'Hi Luc and Juanita. I'm pregnant and it's Joaquin's baby. I'm going to keep it. I know what comes with motherhood and I am willing to do whatever it takes to care for the baby, except give up my career. Oh and I won't give it up for adoption because I'm partially selfish and don't want it to suffer.' Yeah. That'll go well. Well, here it goes because we are here and it is time. I don't want to wait any longer than I have to._

Knocking on the door, Dorinda was nervous and it was building up. She felt sick to her stomach, but that was probably the hormones kicking her butt. Whatever it was, Dorinda felt small once again. Joaquin wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"Hello," Juanita said, opening the door, "Dorinda. Joaquin. Luc didn't tell me you were coming. I guess he forgot to mention it. He's been busy with work and all. Come in. Sorry if the place is a little messy. We're still in the process of unpacking since the honeymoon."

"How was the honeymoon," Dorinda and Joaquin asked in unison.

"Great," Chuchie's mother responded, who had also just gotten married to Joaquin's godfather, "Luc is such a gentleman. I guess that's where Joaquin gets it."

"Ah," Luc greeted them as he came out of his office, "Joaquin and Dorinda. How are you?"

"We need to talk with you," Joaquin said.

"This sounds serious," Luc replied, motioning to the couch, "Come. Sit. Make yourselves at home."

"Do you want anything to eat," Juanita asked, "before you tell us what is on your minds?"

"Nothing," Dorinda responded, "Thanks."

"Same for me," Joaquin said, "Thank you Juanita."

"So. What is this you need to talk about," Luc inquired.

"Dorinda and I have been together for the past couple of months," the younger Spaniard responded, "and well…"

"I'm pregnant," Dorinda blurted out, putting her hands over her mouth once she realized that the damage had been dealt.

"What," Luc said, trying to clarify, to see if this was real or not.

"I'm pregnant," the blonde dynamo said calmly.

"So," Juanita responded, filling in Luc's silence, "I'm sure that my daughter has already given you a lecture as well as Aquanette, Dorinda. Now, Luc. I'm sure you want to talk with Joaquin in private about this."

"Right," Luc stammered, coming out of his daze, "Luc. Let's talk in my office."

"Yes, sir," Joaquin replied, getting up and walking with Luc to the office.

"Now," Chuchie's mother vocalized, "How far along are you?"

"About six weeks," the bewitching blonde said, "We just found out yesterday. I'm going to see Mrs. Bosco about this after we leave here. I figure that she has the right to know what trouble I've gotten myself into."

"At least you know that this journey is going to be long and hard," the elder woman returned, "I think that Joaquin is a good boy, but still has a lot of room to grow. You do too. Bringing a baby into that is going to be hard. However, just know, that we can help you emotionally. The rest is up to the two of you. A baby isn't a walk in the park. It is another life. A life that you will be responsible for from now until long after you are gone. Have you thought of how this is going to play out?"

"Well," Dorinda said, "Joaquin wanted me to move to Spain into the Villa, since Luc put it under Joaquin's name now. I told him no. I love Spain, but I can't just give up my career and friends for him and the baby. I know it sounds a bit selfish, but I want this baby to have the life I never had. I'll have a career that pays well and I don't want to give that up because I know that I want to give this baby a good life. Our contracts are still good thanks to the medical loophole, but I won't exactly have maternity leave. So, I'll have to balance motherhood with recording our songs. Joaquin will be able to help provided that he can get a Visa or a Green Card. But Green Cards take years to acquire. Yet, Joaquin is a count. So, that might change the game for him. I'm not sure though. But I don't exactly have a well formulated plan as to how this is going to work."

"It sounds like you are on the right track," Juanita cheered, "Now, prenatal vitamins. Did you get a prescription for them yet?"

"Yes," Do responded, "Pre-something. It is a prescription. Dr. Rogers sent it to the little drug store next door to my apartment. I'm heading there after I talk to Mrs. Bosco. The doctor explained how it would help me if I got prescription prenatals which have a lot more folic acid and other good stuff for both the baby and me."

"Well," Luc said, interrupting as both he and Joaquin came out of the office, "I'm sure that we can assist with that. Joaquin and I came to an agreement. If he works for me, I'll help with all that I can. That means he'll be staying here with you, as well as getting a better house and pay than he gets right now. Of course, he'll have to work on that college degree and high school diploma. We'll situate that later. Now, I'm sure that Mrs. Bosco is waiting for you to tell her the news. Now, off you two go. Joaquin, that card I gave you, it is only for Dorinda and the baby. Nothing else. Understand."

"Of course Senor Luc," Joaquin responded, "I understand. Thank you. Both. Come on Dorinda. Let's go."

"Alright," Dorinda said, "Bye. Thank you. See you all later."

Once out the door, the blonde let out her breath that she had been holding in for a while. It seemed that it went well with Luc and Juanita, since Luc was really the only "immediate" family that Joaquin had left.

"So," the blonde asked, "How did everything go with Luc?"

"Fine," responded Joaquin, "Luc was upset, but he understands that we want to do anything we can for the baby. It just so happens that Luc is opening an office in Hollywood and he asked me to be the manager there. So, that means that we'll be able to give the baby anything he or she needs. You can follow your dreams and I'll be able to bring the baby with me to work. Luc said that he wouldn't have it any other way. You'll have an all-access pass into the building and everything. Of course, he didn't fail to mention that we're a bit young to be having a baby. Several times. Not to mention reprimanding me for lying about still being in Barcelona and not using protection."

"We are young," Dorinda replied, "But I think we can raise this baby right. Juanita said that she'll give us all the emotional support we need and I know that the girls will be there for me. So, all I have to worry about now is Mrs. Bosco."

"Right," the Spaniard sighed, "Mrs. Bosco."

**Author's Note: So, I hate breaking things into two parts, but when a character is telling their guardians that their expecting...I think that qualifies as a need for two parts. These parts are actually difficult for me to write because a) I've never had to tell anyone that I'm pregnant and b) I don't really know Dorinda's foster mom, Luc, or Juanita all too well. The characters weren't fleshed out in the movie. So, I'm not entirely certain as to how they would have reacted. Hopefully after these two parts are done, we'll be back on the baby warpath. As for the baby, post a reply as to what physical gender you want the baby to have, female or male. **

**All characters belong to Disney and Deborah Gregory.**


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